Coll 28/39 ‘Persia: Printed Correspondence 1929-1936’ [‎503r] (1016/1174)

I TO
Late on the evemr? of the 10th a letter was received fr., m the Governor-
ate, addressed to the Oftce of H B. M. Consul ” in which it was said that
His Majesty would arrive at the Naurab (stretch of water four miles from
Sistan where cars have to be ferried over on rafts) at 3 p.m., the following dav
and that a tent had been pitched for the Consular Corps, and the latter should
be present at the tent at 2-30 p.m.
Accordingly, accompanied by members cf the Consulate Staff I arrived
at the ent the following day. Enquires as to whether uniform was to be worn
elicited the informaaon that nothing was known as to procedure, but that
His iMajesty and Stair would certainly be in uniform. On arrival at the tent
we were received by the clerk of the Municipality.
The Soviet Consul and Staff and the Afghan Consul were already in the
tent. As I had never previously met the former the clerk effected an intro
duction. Persian was the only foreign language known to the Russian
Consul and his staff. The Consul’s knowledge was limited, but sufficient to
maintain a conventional conversation.
Pour tents had been pitched, one for the Shah, one for Persian Officials,
one for the Consular Corps and one by Indian traders.
A small cavalry Guard of Honour was present, and the route towards the
Town w as sparsely lined for about a mile by followers of local Sirdars Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. with
camels and ponies. At a distance of about two miles from the Town the
school-children w ere drawn up ready to sing a poem of praise which they
have been practising for some months, much to the detriment of the peace of
Sistnn.
When His Majesty descended from the raft at 3-30 p.m. he was some
what feebly cheered by the troops. The Consular Corps enquired whether
it would not be seemly for us to stand outside our tent and salute His Majesty
as he entered his Shamiana wdiich was close by. We were told to remain in
the tent and that “ if required w r e would be sent for
A few minor officials, insufficiently important to be presented and who
had gathered at a respectful distance from the Shah’s tent, were then stamped
from their position by orders of the Amir-i-Lashkar.
The Persian Officials, including Herr Brose of the National Bank ^wearing
a Pehlevi hat for the occasion) were then called to the Shah’s tent- As they
approached a voice was heard to shout maledictions from within the Shah’s
tent.
It subsequently transpired that the officials approached the tent and stood
and saluted His Majesty at the threshold, doubtless nervous about approach-
irg too closely without instructions. His Majesty had apparently signalled
"with his hand to them to approach, but the signal had not been understood.
He thereupon exclaimed “ Pidr Soockteh ” I tell you to come closer and
you all push back. After this gentle admonition there appears to have been
no keenness displayed to be first to enter the tent, but the Reis-i-Telegraphs,
a grey headed veteran, probably owing to physical incapacity to resist the
pushes of those behind him was gradually worked forward. He was seized
by the Shah by the lapels of his coat and well shaken.
The sequel to this was that, late at night, a sum of 100 Tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. was
sent to him as a “ sweetner ”. It is said that the other Officials claimed the
right to share in the present on the grounds, I hat if not actually shaken they
were all equally soundly cursed.
Following these presentations, the leading Mullah and his sons were led
to the Shah’s tent. They had prepared a stirring poem to r* ad to His Majesty,
the gist cf w hieh was that an ancient name for Sistan had been “ The country
of fa day ” (a reference to the fact that Amir Timurgorgani of Turkestan had
laid the district waste in half a day) His Majesty would make it once more
prosperous in half a day. , _ ^ ,
A.armed by the crestfallen return of the Officials, the Mullahs were
unable to summon up courage to start on the poem and took it back, unread,
to their tent. It was then turned over to the next deputation to bo presented,
who were seen to be four representatives of the Persian Traders petty shop-